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(No Model.)

' F. A. POUTS.

TOY PISTOL.

Iva-372,136. Patented Oct. 25, 1887.

Win mosey Q Phmum m. Washington. a. c.

, UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

FRANK A. FOUTS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF ooLnMBIA.

TOY PISTOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,136, dated October25, 1887. Application filed April 1], 1887. Serial No. 234,374. (Nomodel.) I

To all whom it may concern. 7

Be it known that I, FRANK A. Fours, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new anduseful Improvements in Toy Pistols; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of thisspecification.

My invention is atoy pistol; and it consists in the parts which will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of the invention isa toy adapted to throw small missiles-suchas stones, beans, paper, or wooden balls, &c.-a considerable distanceand with any reasonably desired force. I employ a spring-actuated armfor throwing the missiles, thesprin g whereof is adj ustable that is tosay, the tension of the spring may be increased or diminished atpleasure-whereby the force or throwing strength of the arm may beregulated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the pistol withthe arm and spring drawn back. In this view a ball is shown in dottedlines seatedin the cup on the outer end of the arm. Fig. 2 alsorepresents a side view. In this view the arm is raised and the ballshown in advance of said arm. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pistolwith the arm thrown back.

Like letters'indicatelike parts in theseveral views.

The letter A represents the stock of the device. Said stock ispreferably made of thin material and in the form of a pistol or revolverwhen viewed from the side.

The letter B represents a bifurcated arm pivotally attached at a to thestock. 0 indicates a trigger on the inner end of the arm B. Said arm andtrigger are rigidly united, and they are practically at right angles toeach other.

D D represent trunnions on the outer sides of the arm B. The outer endof the arm, on its upper side, is provided with a cup, B, for thereception of the ball or missile to be thrown.

E E represent headed pins on the outer under side of the stock.

F indicates a spring for actuating the throwing-arm B. A rubberband-spring is preferably employed. In engaging the rubber the band isfolded on itself, so as to form a double or quadruple piece, accordingto the strength of spring desired. The ends of the rubber are thenengagedto the trunnions D D on the arm. The rubber is then drawn forwardand looped over one of the pins E or E.

G represents a stop fixed to the upper side of the stock above thepivotal point a of the arm. This stop is to arrest the forward movementof the arm.

Hindicates a recess in the rear side of the stock, which limits thebackward movement of the arm and forms a seat therefor when said Thearrangement is such that when the several parts are connected and thearm drawnback and seated the longitudinal plane of the spring I is belowthe pivotal point a of the arm,whereby the tendency of the spring is tohold the arm seated.

The operation of the device is as follows: The arm is drawn back andseated,and occupies the position shown inFig. 1. When so seated, the armis firmly held in that position by the action of the spring, asindicated in the foregoing paragraph. The missile, J, to be thrown isthen placed in the. cup B on the outer upper end of the arm. Thebutt-end of the stock is then held in the hand like a pistol. Bypressing the trigger O backward the arm B is moved upward. A slightupward movement of the arm elevates the spring F above the pivotalpointa,whereby the full strength of the spring is exerted to force the armforward.

The forward movement of the arm is arrested and suddenly stopped by thestop G, and the ball or other missile in the cup B is forcibly thrownforward. The arm and trigger move in unison. When the armis back andseated, the trigger is down ready to be pressed backward and the shotrepeated. After each shot the arm may be moved backward by hand andseated. When the arm is turned backward, the trigger is turned downwardinto position, as in Fig. 1. The tension of the spring may be soincreased by adjustment that an exceedingly strong action of the arm maybe had and a rapid and forcible movement of the missile insured. Thereare several ways of adjusting the tension of the spring. By securing theouter end, g, of the spring to the outer pin, E, on the stock, saidspring is drawn out to its fullest extent, and by engaging the outer endof said spring to the inner pin, E, the tension of the spring isdecreased. The outer end of the spring may be wound around the pins E Eand the tension on the spring therebyinereased; or the spring (rubberband) may be folded on itself so as to form four strands, the endssecured to the trnnnions on the arm, and then the middle portion drawnout and engaged to one of the pins E E. Of course the folding of therubber band and its adjustment will depend on the length and strength ofthe band employed and force desired. Other forms of spring may beemployed for actuating the arm; but a rubber band is preferred.

The device herein shown may be used for snapping caps, if desired. Thisresult may be effected by engaging a cap to the rear side of the stop G.\Vhen the cap is so engaged, the forward movement of the arm 13 willcause the cap to explode.

Having thus described my inventioml claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. Ina toy pistol, the combinationof a stock provided with a spring-actuated arm pivotally securedthereto, a spring for actuating said arm, and pins for engaging the saidspring and varying the tension thereof, substantially as specified.

2. In a toy pistol, the combination of a stock provided with aspringactu ated arm pivotally secured thereto, a trigger united to saidarm and movable therewith, a spring for actuating said arm and trigger,and means located on the stock for engaging the said spring and varyingthe tension thereof, substantially as specified.

3. In a toy pistol, the combination ofastock provided with an armpivotally secured thereto, and a trigger fixed to said arm, said stockbeing also provided with a seat and stop to limit the stroke of the arm,a spring having one end secured to said arm, the other end of saidspring being secured to the stock, the longitudinal plane of the springbeing below the pivotal point of the arm when said arm is drawn back andseated, substantially as set forth.

4. In a toy pistol, the combination ofa stock, an arm provided on oneend with a cup and provided on its other end with a trigger, therespective planes of the arm and trigger being nearly at rightangles toeach other, the trigger end of the arm being pivotally secured to thestock, aspring for actuating the arm, said stock being provided with afront and a rear stop to limit the movement of the arm, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a toy pistol,the combination ofthe stock A, provided with thestops G H, the arm B, provided on its outer end with the cup B, andprovided on its inner end with the trigger C, said arm and trigger beingpivotally engaged to the stock, the outer end of the stock beingprovided with the pins E E, and a spring engaging one of said pins andthe arm, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. FOUTS.

Witnesses:

F. L. OURAND, M. P. CALLAN.

